Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull - a British rock band formed in 1967-1968, is notably famous for their characteristic vocal style and lead flute work of front man Ian Anderson. Alongwith playing blues rock in a unique mannerism; they have integrated elements of classical, folk and 'ethnic' music, together with jazz and art rock. Assorted influences, diverse instrumentation, and their exceptional song-making have them as tagged as a conventional "progressive rock" band.

After the 1992 tour, Anderson had re-learned how to play the flute, and begun writing songs incorporating diversification in their music by adding world music influences. Dave Pegg had also left the band in order to concentrate on his work with Fairport Convention, and was replaced by Jonathan Noyce.

1995's Roots to Branches and 1999's J-Tull Dot Com are less rock-based than Crest of a Knave or Catfish Rising. Their music sense has literally grown due to the world music influence. In songs such as "Out of the Noise" and "Hot Mango Flush", Anderson paints vivid pictures of third-world street scenes. These albums have reflected Anderson's coming to grips with being an old rocker, with songs such as the pensive "Another Harry's Bar", "Wicked Windows" and the brusque "Wounded, Old, and Treacherous".

In 1995, Anderson released his second solo album, Divinities: Twelve Dances with God, an instrumental work encompassing twelve flute-heavy pieces followed by varied themes with a fundamental pattern. The album was recorded with current Tull keyboard player Andrew Giddings. Anderson released two further song-based solo albums, The Secret Language of Birds and Rupi's Dance in 2000 and 2003, respectively.

In 2003, the Jethro Tull Christmas Album was released, having a collection of traditional Christmas songs together with old and new Christmas songs written by Jethro Tull.

An Ian Anderson live double album and DVD was released in 2005 called Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull. Additionally, a DVD entitled Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 and a live album Aqualung Live were released in 2005.

The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull - a 24-song set of Tull and Ian Anderson acoustic performances taken from various albums, was released in March 2007. Included are a new live acoustic version of "One Brown Mouse" and a live performance of the traditional song,"Pastime With Good Company."

In 1968, guitarist Toni Iommi (Black Sabbath) started playing guitar for Jethro Tull temporarily, but was soon replaced by ick Abrahams only played with Jethro Tull in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, though his guitar is not audible because of the dubbing.

After leaving the band, Drummer Clive Bunker played in a short-lived group called "Jude" with former Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower.

Phil Collins of Genesis was Jethro Tull's drummer at one performance: the Prince's Trust Gala on July 7, 1982 at London's Dominion Theatre. Phil Collins played a three songs set, and two of them ("Jack in the Green" and "Pussy Willow") are on an official video release of the Prince's Trust Gala, though this may not have been released in all countries.

A significant number of Jethro Tull former supporting players like Dave Pegg, Martin Allcock, Dave Mattacks and Gerry Conway have been in the core of in the influential folk rock band Fairport Convention. Dave Pegg - a core member of Convention and the one with longest tenure in Tull (1979-1995) ? alternated his career between the two and in 1987 when Jethro Tull toured the USA, they had Fairport Convention as support act with Pegg playing in both bands at each concert.

Ex-drummer Mark Craney, from the short-lived 1980-81 line-up, died of diabetes and pneumonia on November 26, 2005. He had suffered through a history of health problems including kidney ailments, stroke paralysis, and a heart condition. A number of Tull members contributed to the 1997 charity album, Something With a Pulse, to help Craney pay medical bills.

Bassist Tony Williams filled in for the remainder of the tour when John Glascock's health failed.

Dave's son Bassist Matthew Pegg is credited with played the bass on Catfish Rising. Due to Dave's scheduling conflicts, Bassist Steve Bailey managed the bass on the Roots to Branches.

Jethro Tull songs have appeared in several films, including Breaking the Waves, Jumanji, Boogie Nights and Almost Famous.

The song "Aqualung" is briefly joked about in the Will Ferrell comedy Anchorman. Ferrell's character, Ron Burgundy, plays a jazz flute solo and suddenly plays the main riff from "Aqualung" and then shouts, "Hey Aqualung!"

In an episode of The Simpsons, Martin is given the award for best flautist. He plays the flute and begins to sing "Thick as a Brick" until he's hit on the head with a chair by Lisa.

In an episode of King of the Hill entitled "The Incredible Hank", part of "Aqualung" is played while Hank lifts weights in his garage.

In the song "Virus Alert" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, one of the effects of the titular virus is to "make your iPod only play Jethro Tull."

Anderson has attributed the marked difference between their music and the music of their contemporaries to the group's avoidance of illegal recreational drugs